1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording and reproducing apparatus suited for use in a digital camcorder or the like employing a semiconductor memory as well as a magnetic recording medium. The present invention particularly relates to allowing a still image signal recorded at, for example, different data rate and supplied from a semiconductor memory or the like, to be captured at the data rate of, for example, a video signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
For a digital camcorder, a recording and reproducing apparatus into which a semiconductor memory as well as a magnetic recording medium (videocassette) for recording existing moving images can be installed and which records still images on the semiconductor memory, is employed. According to the recording and reproducing apparatus of this type, a semiconductor memory compatible with a semiconductor memory used in a so-called personal computer is installed, whereby still images picked up by, for example, a camcorder can be easily captured into the personal computer or the like.
For ordinary digital type video signals, a data rate represented by a ratio of luminance signal (Y): first color signal (R-Y): second color signal (B-Y) of 4:2:2 (NTSC) or 4:1:1 (PAL) is often used due to the relationship with transmission rate and the like. This data rate is also used for, for example, a camcorder. For still image signals processed by, for example, a personal computer, by contrast, a data rate of, for example, 4:4:4 is sometimes used.
On the other hand, the above-stated camcorder displays still images processed by the personal computer on an built-in display unit through a semiconductor memory and records the still images on a video cassette at intervals of predetermined time. In that case, if the data rate of the still images processed by the personal computer is 4:2:2 or 4:1:1, no problems surface. With the data rate of 4:4:4, however, a conventional recording and reproducing apparatus cannot process the still images, display the images on a built-in display unit and record the images on a video cassette.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-stated respects. Namely, the disadvantages to be overcome are as follows. A conventional recording and reproducing apparatus cannot fetch still image signals recorded at a data rate different from that of video signals from a semiconductor memory or the like, at the date rate of video signals, display the still image signals processed by a personal computer and recorded on a semiconductor memory or the like on a display unit built in a digital camcorder, and record the still image signals on a videocassette.
To overcome these disadvantages, the present invention comprises conversion means for converting a signal at a data rate used for the transmission of, for example, still images into a signal at a data rate used for the transmission of video images. By using the conversion means, it is possible to convert a signal at a data rate used for the transmission of still images formed by another arbitrary equipment into a signal at a data rate used for the transmission of, for example, moving image signals used within a device, to display the signals on, for example, a display unit built in the device, to record the images as continuous video signals on a videocassette or the like, and to output the signals to an external unit.